A tussle is expected in the Parliamentary committee set up to oust President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is expected to appoint a chairman today.
The opposition parties have said that they do not want the chairman of the committee to come from the ANC because he will protect Ramaphosa in the matter concerning the theft of US dollars from his Phala Phala farm.
The ANC has revealed that it did not go to protect Ramaphosa in this committee and is discussing with the parties about the issue of who will be the chairman. Parliament spokesperson, Mr. Moloto Mothapo, said the committee will meet this afternoon to appoint a chairman.
The Secretary General of the ANC, Mr. Fikile Mbalula, speaking to eNCA yesterday afternoon, said that they went to this committee to protect Ramaphosa.
“We learned a lesson when we defended the former president of the country, Mr. Jacob Zuma in the Nkandla issue. We did not go to defend Ramaphosa until we lost our hands in this committee,” said Mbalula.
He lashed out at the leader of Build One SA (Bosa), Dr Mmusi Maimane, who suggested that an experienced person should be appointed to lead this committee.
“Maimane does not want to come up with his own goals. We know he wants to lead this committee. The person who will be appointed to lead the committee will be a member of Parliament.”
He said that when a parliamentary committee was established to investigate the allegations made by the KwaZulu-Natal Police Commander, uLieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, it was said that an ANC person cannot be appointed because he will protect the suspended Police MEC, Mr. Senzo Mchunu. This committee was chaired by Mr. Soviet Lekganyane.
“The ANC member who is leading this committee has done a good job. There was no protection for Mchunu by ANC members. Even now, Ramaphosa will not be protected in this parliamentary committee, if he has to appear in this committee that will happen,” continued Mbalula.
He also denied that there was a disagreement with the ANC’s Whip in Parliament, Mr. Mdumiseni Ntuli, on the issue of the appointment of ANC members who will be part of the committee looking into the Phala Phala issue.
“There is no conflict of opinion or tension between me and Ntuli. Ntuli is experienced, wise and will never turn his back on the organization. He listens and if he fails, I will remove him from office because I am in charge of the ANC,” said Mbalula.
As it happened, Ramaphosa filed an urgent application at the High Court in the Western Cape, where he wanted the report of the team led by Judge Sandile Ngcobo to be quashed. The team’s report found that it is possible that some laws were broken by Ramaphosa.
In the court papers, Ramaphosa said it would be unfortunate if the committee could continue its work when it has applied for the report to be dismissed.
“Would it be a violation of my rights if the Parliament continues with the plan to remove me from office while I am still applying to have the panel’s report dismissed. I hope that the Parliament will stop for a while. If the Parliament continues, I will be forced to file an urgent application for a court injunction.”
Ramaphosa said that the team went too far during the investigation and said that its report was full of rumours.
He also complains that in the report there is a secret report of the Namibian police, it is unclear how it was obtained. Among the nine members who will represent the ANC and Lekganyane. The DA, MKP and EFF parties will be represented by their leaders in Parliament, Mr. George Michalakis, Dr. John Hlophe, and Mr. Julius Malema.
DA will be represented by five people, MKP will be represented by three people, EFF will be represented by two people.
The Good and PAC parties will not be represented in the committee. This is because these parties each have a member of Parliament.